One of the leading activists on climate change will be in Wyoming this month to describe how saving money and grappling with climate change work well together, according to a release from Casper College.

Rocky Anderson, named by Business Week as one of the top 20 activists in the world on climate change, will discuss "Climate Change and the Leadership Imperative" at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Wheeler Auditorium, Room 103 of the Wold Physical Science Center at Casper College.

The event is the first in a series of free public lectures entitled "Climate Change in Carbon Central -- Developing Strategies in Wyoming" and is presented by the University of Wyoming/Casper College Center.

Other featured speakers in series this fall are Gov. Dave Freudenthal and Jim Posewitz, executive director of Orion: The Hunter's Institute and a renowned speaker on hunting issues.

According to series organizer Anne MacKinnon, the series will look at how climate change is part of almost every familiar issue in Wyoming -- from affordable housing to hunting and fishing -- and how addressing those issues from a climate change perspective may provide new ways to solve persistent problems.

The series will cover six evenings of discussions on every other Thursday.

Anderson, mayor of Salt Lake City from 2000-08, led the city to achieve a nearly one-third reduction in municipal government greenhouse gas emissions and significant budget savings.

In the first night of the series, Anderson will be joined by Mark Barron, mayor of Jackson, where municipal government is working on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions issues, according to the release.

The two will give an update on the latest understanding of climate change, along with how-to advice on the everyday challenges of climate change and the money local governments can save for themselves and their citizens via energy efficiency efforts.

The Natrona County Commission will hear from Anderson and Barron during a public workshop at 4 p.m. on Thursday at the county courthouse.

Each of the discussions will take place at the same time and place, and will be available for download at outreach.uwyo.edu/ocp/podcasting.asp.

The series is sponsored by UW's Helga and Otto Haub School and William Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources, the UW/CC Center, and the UW Outreach School.

For more information, call the UW/CC Center at (307) 268-2713 or (877) 264-9930; or visit www.uwyo.edu/uwcc.

Series slate

The series schedule asks the question "What does climate change have to do with ...?" for the following topics:

* Wyoming Cities and Towns, led by Rocky Anderson and Mark Barron, Thursday.

* Work Force Housing, led by Mark Woolley, developer of a project in Rawlins; and Scott Kane, owner of Creative Energies renewable energy company in Lander; Sept. 25.

* Hunting and Fishing, led by Jim Posewitz, director of Orion: The Hunter's Institute; and Steve Jackson, UW botany professor; Oct. 9.

* Paying the Bills, led by Howard Geller, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project; and Mary Byrnes, member of the Wyoming Public Service Commission; Oct. 23.

* Kids, led by Scott Beall, seventh-grade science teacher from New York; and Craig Sorenson, superintendent of Sweetwater County School District No. 2; Nov. 6.

* State Finances, led by Gov. Dave Freudenthal (schedule permitting), Nov. 20.

Each of the discussions will take place at 7 p.m. in the Wheeler Auditorium at Casper College, and will be available for download at outreach.uwyo.edu/ocp/podcasting.asp.